Ted Cruz shows leadership

Texas Senator Ted Cruz recently delivered an address at the Heritage Foundation on the topic of America’s involvement in Syria’s civil war. His clear thinking on the subject stood in stark contrast to the muddled international policy that is coming out of the Obama administration and its State Department.

Cruz said that America’s foreign policy needs to focus on three imperatives: Do what is in America’s national best interest, speak with moral clarity, and always fight to win.

Applying these principles to Syria, the Senator pointed out that America’s national best interest is not served if we weaken Syria’s brutal dictator to the point where the rebels, many of whom are associated with Al-Qaeda, take control of the country’s supply of chemical weapons. If Al-Qaeda gains control of chemical weapons, they will surely use them against American citizens and our political allies. So direct military involvement is out.

However, there is much that can be done diplomatically that does serve America’s national interest. We can tell Iraq to stop allowing Iran to use their air space for flights to Syria that re-supply the Assad regime in Syria. Otherwise, we will end all financial aid to Iraq.

At the United Nations, we can force a vote condemning the use of chemical weapons in Syria. If Russia and China vote no, as they surely would, we respond by announcing that the U.S. has decided that we will now reverse some policy decisions made earlier in this administration. Our response to Russia’s vote will be that we will resume building the missile defense system in Eastern Europe. Our response to China will be to sell Taiwan the F16 fighters that they had requested.

The current administration has said that it wants to engage in an “unbelievably small” military action to “send a message” in support of international norms. Our young men and women do not sign up to engage in unbelievably small engagements in support of international norms. They sign up to fight for America, to kill our enemies, and to keep America and her allies safe.

This Ted Cruz is a real leader who has clear understanding of America’s role in the world. I’m hoping more and more Americans sit up and start listening to what he has to say.